


After

by Greed-Lings Girl (musicofthespheres)



Series: After 'Verse [1]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, anime continuation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-27
Updated: 2018-09-27
Packaged: 2019-07-18 02:05:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16108523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musicofthespheres/pseuds/Greed-Lings%20Girl
Summary: The first in a series of oneshots and multi-chapter stories that follow the stories of Ed and Winry after the events of FMA:B.





	After

**Author's Note:**

> Because my usual beta-readers both haven't finished the series, these stories will go un-beta'd until then. Please feel free to poke it if you find something that needs fixing!

“Tsk.”

It’s a simple syllable. Coming from Winry’s lips, though, it carries the weight of a slap to the face. 

“ _What,_ ” Ed asks grumpily, opening and closing his right fist. Even after all these months, he has a hard time believing it’s real. 

“The moment you get your arm back, you decide to give your leg a good beating, instead. That’s just like you, Edward Elric.” Winry’s glare carries the fire she reserves especially for him. 

Ed scowls. “What’s _that_ supposed to mean?”

She taps the side of his automail with her wrench. “Feel that? It’s loose. Did you run a marathon on this thing, or what?”

Ed peers down at her work in progress as she leans closer and sticks her tongue out just so. His heart starts beating faster for some reason. His palms grow sweaty as he grips the fabric of the bedsheet in both hands, gritting his teeth as Winry makes a particularly painful adjustment. It’s all he can do not to cry out and worry her—not that she’d care. Some days he thinks she takes pleasure in bringing him pain.

“There,” Winry says with a decisive final torque. “That oughta do it.”

“Thanks,” Ed mutters. “I, uh,” he says, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “I can’t pay you much. I’m not a state alchemist anymore so I don’t have access to any military funds.”

Winry tilts her head and smiles sweetly (menacingly, Ed thinks—he knows that look). “There are a few things that need doing around the house. Granny isn’t able to keep up and I’m so busy with all of my clients-“

“Just point me in the direction,” Ed says.

Winry’s smile reaches her eyes. “Why don’t we eat lunch first.”

===

Alphonse can’t help savoring the sensation of real food in his mouth. For weeks he’s been on a diet of mashed potatoes and other vegetables until his body can handle proper solids again. It hasn’t been the most pleasant experience, but once the doctors gave him the go-ahead to move on to the next step, he’d had to restrain himself from downing everything inside. After years trapped behind Truth’s door, his appetite is positively voracious.

Now, as he shoves a third sandwich into his face, he watches with amusement as Winry and Ed bicker about Ed’s automail and a myriad other things. Al doesn’t keep track of the argument. 

“Well, Al? Who’s right?” Winry asks, staring at him expectantly. He hadn’t realized they’d been talking to him. He waves his hands in the air defensively. “No, no, I’m not taking sides!” he exclaims for lack of context. 

“I’m his brother so his deciding vote falls to me by default if he doesn’t choose!” Ed boasts proudly, pointing his thumb at his chest and sticking his nose in the air haughtily. 

“Brother, I don’t think that’s how it works,” Al scolds gently. He smiles at Winry’s exasperated expression. 

Oh, when will those two _say_ something to each other, already?

===

Winry awakens in the middle of the night to hushed voices just outside her bedroom window. She stands, knees wobbling with fatigue, and peers outside only to find the Elric brothers sitting on a bench in the garden and staring at the stars.

She can make out bits and pieces of their conversation—reflecting on Ed’s now-permanent disability, on Alphonse’s strength returning, on Winry’s hand in all of this. She know she shouldn’t eavesdrop, but if they don’t want to be overheard then they shouldn’t have chosen a spot just outside her window.

“Hey, boys, what are you doing up so late?” she calls from above, startling Ed right off the bench. 

“Winry!” he shouts while Al covers his mouth and giggles. “A little warning next time?!” 

“Should have thought of that before you woke me up!” she yells back before climbing out of her window and dropping expertly to the ground. “Besides, I heard everything. You really think I had an important part in you winning, huh?” she asks with a wicked grin. 

Ed’s face flushes. “I never said that,” he says, even though Winry knows he’s lying. 

“It’s all thanks to my amazing mechanical skills, isn’t it?” Winry presses, knocking on his metal kneecap. “Without them, you’d be toast!” 

“Ugh, shut up, Winry.”

===

**Two Months Later**

Ed’s heart races as the Rockbell residence comes into view. He’d been called back to Central for a ceremony honoring fallen Ishvalans from the war of extermination and awarding medals of bravery for the brave soldiers, civilians, and Ishvalans who had taken part in the coup d'etat. 

Now, for the foreseeable future, he’ll be residing in Resembool and assisting Alphonse with his alchemical research. Once that’s out of the way, Al plans to head to Xing to find Mei and learn Alkahestry from her. _And maybe a few other things, too_ he thinks to himself with a smirk. The two had been corresponding ever since the princess’s return to her homeland. _And_ Al never denied his feelings when Ed prodded him about it. 

Fullmetal Alchemist turned Detective Extraordinaire, that’s what he is, alright. 

He swallows hard when he reaches the front door. Winry’s going to _kill_ him for the shape his automail is in.

===

Winry wonders what reckless shenanigans Ed has been getting into that he needs adjustments on his automail so often. She’s running out of chores to give him to do in payment and wonders if she’ll have to start a tab for him.

She giggles to herself at the thought of his outrage if she would suggest the notion. 

Granny sneaks up on her and whaps the back of her legs with the broom. “What are you giggling about, child?”

Winry breaks into a full grin as she spins around. “Making Ed upset. The usual.”

“That’s my girl,” Granny says, carrying on with her task. “You’ve got that boy wrapped around your finger, haven’t you?” 

“Oh, Granny,” Winry says, face flushing and reaching out to take the broom. “Leave that for him, would you? He needs to pay me back somehow.” 

“Oh, if you insist. I think I could get used to this, you know.” 

Winry looks out the window to find the brothers Elric tackling each other mercilessly. “Me too,” she sighs wistfully. “Me too.”

**Author's Note:**

> I adore comments so please let me know what you think. I'll probably be writing many stories that will refer to each other in this established 'verse, but most (if not all) will likely be stand-alone stories.


End file.
